


10 Years Together

by pinkdrinksandmusic



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: 10 year anniversary, 10 years together and guess what they're still in love, Domestic Fluff, M/M, literally nothing but sappy fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-27
Updated: 2018-08-27
Packaged: 2019-07-03 01:45:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15808812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkdrinksandmusic/pseuds/pinkdrinksandmusic
Summary: Damen and Laurent go back to the Summer Palace to celebrate their ten year anniversary.





	10 Years Together

**Author's Note:**

> Originally this was supposed to be for Captive Prince's 10 year anniversary in...I think May? Yeah. Took a break from writing in it when I didn't make it in time and decide to finish it up. It made me happy to write this and I hope anyone who takes the time to read this enjoys it. <333

When Damen woke it was to Laurent curled up on his chest with his leg over Damen’s thigh. The sun was shining in through the windows that were open. Laurent often liked to sleep with the windows and sometimes even the balcony doors open when the weather was nice, especially if it was raining.

They had arrived at the Summer Palace the day before. They bathed together and spent the rest of their time in bed, paying worship to each other’s bodies, celebrating their lasting love that had carried them through the last ten years.

Carefully, he started to move out from under Laurent and got out of bed.

“Mm.” Laurent made a small noise but didn’t fully wake, didn’t even open his eyes. He just let Damen slip out from under him and then shifted enough so that he was using Damen’s pillow instead of his own, laying directly in the middle of the bed.

When stretching, he heard his joints pop and let out a relieved sigh.

Damen went about his morning routine. The servants brought iced water as he worked out. When he was younger he worked out whenever he felt like it, most of it in the form of some sport, sword practice, or sparring whenever the mood struck. Nowadays he found he enjoyed routine more than he used to, finding himself working out in the early mornings or late at night, especially during summer.

When he was done he wiped off the sweat with a cold, damp towel and had the servants bring in some food.

Laurent was still sleeping, so he had the tray brought to the side of the bed and then climbed back in. He grabbed Laurent’s elbow and gave him a gentle tug, Laurent easily moving to where he wanted him until he was once again half under him, their bare bodies pressed together. Laurent made a small noise against his chest as he was moved.

“Good morning,” Damen said.

“Mmm.” Laurent kissed his chest in response. It was a minute before he finally started to open his eyes, rolling to his back to stretch with another small noise, only for Damen to roll him back into his arms mid-stretch.

“You’re too far,” Damen said.  

“Clingy,” Laurent said as he snuggled back against him, throwing his leg over Damen’s.

“You have no room to talk.”

Laurent smiled into his chest.

“I don’t think I’ll be going riding today,” Laurent said. They had talked about it the night before, in between making love. Damen had been full of nostalgia of their first trip. Back then Laurent had gone riding on their second day with him, after Damen had gifted him with his new horse. He still remembered the light in Laurent’s eyes when he saw her. Laurent had become even more eager for their ride. Before he got on her, though, he had walked up to Damen and, instead of bringing Damen’s head down to meet him like he usually did, rose up on his toes to kiss him sweetly. Damen’s arms had wound around Laurent’s waist and gave him a squeezing hug.

Damen would never forget that week and how much it had meant to him, to both of them. It was the start of their life together.

“How about a walk instead?” Damen suggested a few minutes later, smiling absently, his eyes closed as he allowed the memories to fade back into the past.

“Later.”

“I had the servants bring us some fruit and oats with honey to eat.”

“In a few minutes. I don’t want to move yet,” Laurent said, his hand moving along Damen’s chest.

“Alright.”

Later, after roaming hands and tangled limbs, with Laurent moving over him as they kissed deeply, they ate. They were still lounging in bed. Damen was sitting up against the headboard with Laurent’s legs thrown over his lap and leaning back against the pillows, stacking them behind him so his body was elevated enough to eat.

“What do you want to do today, besides our walk?” Laurent asked, finishing off a piece of watermelon and then leaning further back into the pillows: a picture of relaxation.

“I don’t know yet. We don’t have to decide right away. We have all day.”

“All week.”

Damen smiled. “Just like our first time here.”

“Are you enjoying the start of our vacation?”

“Of course.” Damen ran his hand from Laurent’s shin to his thigh. “It’s nostalgic, being here with you.”

“It hasn’t been that long since the last time we were here,” Laurent said.

“It’s been a couple years now.”

“We had other places to go.”

By then, Laurent and Damen had been all over Vere and Akielos together. Every old and familiar place in Akielos felt new to Damen, with Laurent at his side. Damen had been giddy with every trip around Akielos they made, wanting to share every inch of the country with his lover who was now his husband.

Laurent had taken it all in. He had asked Damen questions about each area, some he knew the answers to and some he found himself not knowing. There were things about Akielon culture that were so natural to Damen that he never stopped to think about it, until Laurent asked him. It was as if he got to experience his country anew and learn more about it than he thought possible.

There was also some giddiness in exploring Vere with Laurent. There were places in Vere Laurent had never been to, and he was able to share the experience of visiting the area for the first time with Laurent. They shared their favorite foods from both of their countries with each other, played and talked about old games they enjoyed, and by now they had read each other’s favorite books growing up. They also gained new favorites to share with each other and recommended each other stuff all the time, or just read new things together. There were nights Damen would lay his head on Laurent’s chest, curled up against him, while Laurent read to him until he fell asleep.

“What are you thinking?”

He was pulled out of his reminiscing and looked to Laurent. He knew everything he was thinking and feeling was in his eyes, based on how it was reflecting in Laurent’s.

“I’ve enjoyed these past ten years with you. Thank you for giving them to me,” Damen said.

Laurent sat up and moved until he was pressed to Damen’s side and gave him a sweet kiss.

“You know I’ll give you all my years, in this life and the one after this and the one after that.”

Damen’s heart was full as he took in Laurent’s words. He pushed Laurent down on the bed, wanting to show him just how mutual his feelings were.

 

 

Later, they went out for a walk around the palace grounds, through the gardens his mother planted. Damen took Laurent’s hand when they finally left their bed. Every now and then Laurent playfully swung them.

“The first time you held my hand was here. It was so new then I was over the moon about it,” Damen said, giving Laurent’s hand a squeeze. It hadn’t been the first time Damen had held Laurent’s hand, but it was the first time Laurent had taken his. Damen loved it when Laurent initiated affectionate gestures. They had been sparse at first, but now he received them regularly.

“I remember. It was new to me too. Something I never thought I’d get to have. A simple pleasure that was somehow overwhelming.”

“We almost didn’t have this. That thought was in the back of my mind.” Damen often pushed those darker thoughts out, not wanting to dwell on them, but sometimes they peaked through. A reminder to cherish this.

“No need to worry about that. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.”

“I suppose that’s fine,” Damen said, laughing a little when Laurent gave him a playful shove.

“You’d cry if you lost me.”

Damen nodded. “Probably.”

“Definitely. Luckily for you I’m not going anywhere.” Laurent bumped their shoulders. “I don’t want to go anywhere if you’re not there too.”

“You’re always so good with words.” Damen smiled. “I’m sure that if you met my parents, you would have charmed them into giving you my hand on the first day.”

“You first introduced me to your mother here.”

“Would you like to see her again?”

“Of course. She should see that I’ve kept my word, just like every other time we’ve come here.”

“You have.”

“You too.”

Damen recalled the time he had met with Auguste’s statue, the one Laurent had spoken to, and the promise he had made to him.

He felt Laurent pull on his hand. 

“Let’s go see your mother.”

 

 

Their visit with Damen’s mother at her statue was short. Laurent stopped in front of her and kissed the back of Damen’s hand and said, _“I’ve kept my promise. Your son is absolutely spoiled by me.”_

 _“You like spoiling me,”_ Damen had said. They had gone to see his mother’s statue so many times that any formality on Laurent’s part was gone. It made Damen stupidly happy. He couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like, if his parents and brother were alive, and to watch Laurent become familiar with them. It was a wonderful and painful thought at the same time.

 _“I do. I can’t help it. Your face is so open. I like how you look when I spoil you.”_ Laurent dropped their hands and leaned against him. _“Are you happy?”_

_“Very.”_

_“Don’t lie in front of your mother.”_

_“I would never lie to her, or to you.”_

After, they had decided to go to the water. The sun was hot and beating down on them. Laurent was sticky with sweat and so was Damen, and the water was sure to provide them with some relief.

 _“Mild summers,”_ Laurent had mumbled his first time here. _“You said the summers here were mild, but it hardly feels any different from Ios.”_

_“Ios is hotter.”_

_“Barely.”_

As soon as they got close to the water, Laurent reached up to unpin Damen’s chiton. Undressing each other had become a habit, something they didn’t care for others to do unless necessary. When others undressed (or dressed) them, it was always servants who did so without intimacy.

It wasn’t that way between them though.

When Damen unpinned Laurent’s chiton, he bent down and kissed his now bare shoulder. They would have to be careful not to stay exposed to the sun for too long, Laurent always burned there first. He had a few freckles sprinkled over the tops of his shoulders from long days in the sun throughout the past ten years. Damen liked them. Sometimes, when they were laying in bed together, Damen found himself tracing patterns on Laurent’s shoulder, connecting the little brown dots. 

Laurent placed a hand on Damen’s shoulder as he took off his sandals, lifting his feet up rather than bending down to do it. His chiton was pooled around him, overlapping some of Damen’s. After Laurent took off his own sandals, he bent down to remove Damen’s. Laurent wasn’t lying when he said Damen was spoiled. Damen never expected it, but Laurent was always so attentive and took care of him, fussed over him, and gifted him things at random. Damen felt lucky, humbled, and honored all the time.

When Laurent was done, he simply said, “Race you,” and then took off. Damen chased after him. Laurent kicked sand at him and when Damen got close enough to grab him, Laurent put his leg between Damen’s to trip him. Damen didn’t fall, but he stumbled enough that Laurent was able to beat him to the water, laughing.

When Damen finally caught up with him again, the water was up to Laurent’s waist. Damen’s arms wrapped around his middle and lifted him. Laurent’s feet kicked out, water splashing in front of him as he made a sound of surprised delight, and then Damen slammed them both in the water, taking Laurent under with him.

Laurent twisted in his arms when they were under and gave him a shove so they were a bit apart when they resurfaced.

Damen had taught Laurent how to swim when they first came to the summer palace and now Laurent swam backwards with ease, putting distance between them.

“You always play dirty,” Damen said, breathlessly.

“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”

“You already forgot kicking sand at me and tripping me? I didn’t realize you were losing your memory, and still so young.”He got close enough to Laurent to grab his ankle and drag him over to him. Laurent had been on his back, floating. He sputtered as his head went a bit under as Damen pulled him close. When Laurent’s feet were behind him, he put a hand under Laurent’s back and hauled him up until they were face to face. Laurent coughed a bit when he first came up, but otherwise appeared unbothered. His knees moved to either side of Damen’s waist, squeezing him a bit.

“Was I too far away again?”

“Yes.”

Laurent loosely wrapped his arms around Damen’s neck, his hands dangling behind him rather than in his hair as usual.

“We’re on vacation,” Damen said, his voice a low whisper, “I want to be close to you,” Damen leaned forward and kissed him sweetly, “kiss you,” his hands wandered to Laurent’s waist, then further down, slowly moving down his thigh and back up to his backside.

“You know I’m weak when you talk to me like that,” Laurent said, his voice just as low even though they were alone. He leaned closer so his mouth was by Damen’s ear, “And touch me like that.”

Damen shuddered when Laurent took his earlobe between his teeth and lightly tugged at it. Laurent’s hands moved to Damen’s hair, cupping his head. Damen flushed, liking the feel of Laurent’s tightening hold on him.

They kissed like that, the waves gently moving them. Damen didn’t attempt to fight the current that was pushing them closer to the shore at a slow pace, though taking them a bit sideways as well so their clothing was getting farther left from them.

Laurent’s kisses had started at his jawline, while Damen kissed his shoulder and neck, making their way to each other’s mouths. It was unhurried as it usually was. They had their whole lives together, and while there were still times when they found themselves wanting each other right away, there were also times like this. They explored each other leisurely, relishing every step without rushing through. Damen felt his body responding, but was enjoying simply kissing and touching Laurent. The closeness familiar and comfortable in a way that made him feel warm and happy, his heart full.

They continued that way, kissing, touching, and playing in the water. After awhile, Laurent’s kisses became more playful and then, getting them out of the moment of simple intimacy before it could grow into something more, Laurent twisted his nipple.

So Damen threw him and dunked him, both of them laughing and splashing at each other.

Laurent got out of the water first, but Damen wasn’t ready yet. He went to go sit on the sand – or rather, on Damen’s chiton – while Damen continued to swim.

When Damen finally pulled himself out of the water, it was with a gift in hand. He walked over to Laurent, who was sitting under an awning the servants had brought out to protect his skin from the sun. His shoulders were a bit pink, but not quite red yet.

“Done playing in the water?”

“For now.”

He knelt down in front of Laurent and held out a seashell he had dived for.

“It’s the same as before,” Damen said, remembering the one he had given Laurent ten years ago.

“Thank you,” Laurent said, though he didn’t blush like he had the first time, but the same genuine, soft smile was there. Damen kissed his cheek, then his warm shoulder. When he raised his head, he looked at Laurent, as he often did. Ten years and he could still look nowhere else. Laurent’s beauty and presence was magnifying. Damen found him just as beautiful as he had ten years ago, if not more so.

Thirty wasn’t very old. Laurent didn’t look much different from when he had first met him, especially in the face. He looked a bit more mature, perhaps, but Damen wasn’t sure he could truly tell. If there were any changes in Laurent, they were so gradual he hadn’t noticed.

He couldn’t say the same about his own. At thirty five, his eyes wrinkled at the corners and he went much longer without shaving his beard. It just seemed like more of a hassle. He had shaved before coming on their vacation though, so all he had was a bit of stubble. It wasn’t uncommon for him to have a beard more similar to what his dad had, and Kastor, at the end of his life.

If Laurent had a preference, he didn’t voice it, though Damen thought Laurent preferred his stubble most. Damen was honest enough with himself to admit that he liked the marks his stubble left on Laurent’s skin.

They still had so many years ahead of them. Damen found he could only look forward to each day he got to spend in Laurent’s company, full of pride and unparalleled joy that he got to call Laurent his.

“I still have it,” Laurent said, fingers tracing the seashell.

“Hm?”

“The seashell you got me the first time we came here.”

Damen smiled. “I know you do.”

“Do you?”

“I don’t know where you’ve hidden it, but I know you keep things. You’re very sentimental.”

“I’ll show you. Maybe.”

“You’re going to share your secret stash with me?” Damen grinned.

“We’ll see. Are you ready to head back?”

“I might have to walk back naked, since you decided to use my chiton as a beach blanket.”

“It was either yours or mine, and _I’m_ not walking back naked.”

Damen laughed.

“I’m sure the servants won’t mind. They might not even be surprised,” Laurent said.

“I’d rather surprise _you_.”

“Is there another horse waiting for me?”

The horse Damen had gifted Laurent remained the most pampered animal in their kingdoms. She was well treated. Named after the flower Laurent had put in his hair.

Damen wasn’t sure why, but he had been surprised to find out Laurent named his horses. It was something Damen would never think to do. Not only did Laurent name his own horses, but he also named Damen’s horses. Damen couldn’t help but find it endearing.

“Who knows? You didn’t want to go riding today, so you’ll just have to wait until tomorrow to find out.”

“I don’t mind the wait. Yesterday was worth it. It’s been awhile since we’ve had that much time alone together.”

Damen smiled softly. “We have all week to be alone now.”

“Except for when you want to swim?”

“I had to get you your gift.” Damen moved to sit next to Laurent on his chiton. “The sun’s setting. Should we stay and watch?”

“Perhaps we should. It’ll be harder to spot you walking around outside naked at night, at least.”

“I’m not shy.”

“You are when we’re intimate.”

Damen frowned. “That’s different.”

Laurent leaned his weight against him, his head on Damen’s shoulder. Damen wrapped his arm around him, Laurent tucked comfortably against him.

“We can stay for the sunset, after let’s go back to our room.”

“Alright.”

 

 

At the end of the day, Laurent took Damen’s hand and led him to their room.

 _Their_ room.

He felt the old, nostalgic giddiness that came with that knowledge. Everything that was Damen’s was Laurent’s, and vice versa. He remembered how much he had desired it in the beginning. To share everything with him and to refer to things as ‘ _ours’_ and the absolute delight when Laurent said it too.

Now it felt natural to him, and that was a giddy delight of its own.

When the door to their bedroom shut, Damen took Laurent into his arms, turned him, and pressed him against the door to kiss him as passionately as always.  

“You’re mine,” he said against Laurent’s mouth before Laurent grabbed his hair and brought him down to kiss him again.

He remembered how badly he had wanted to say that when they first made love. Now he could.

Laurent was the one who ended it, placing a hand on Damen’s chest and giving him a firm push. Damen went easily, and watched Laurent as he walked to their bed…but didn’t get on it.

Instead Laurent grabbed the bag he brought with him. It had a hidden pocket on the inside and brought out a key. where the bottom half was a little door.   

“What are you—” Damen stopped when Laurent then pulled out a big ball of fabric and sat on the bed.

“I used to have one of these in every room we have. In Delfeur, in Arles, in Ios…and here,” Laurent said as he unwound the fabric to show a locked box. “But a few years into our relationship, I started to become paranoid someone would find it. So I transferred all the items into one box and locked it.”

Laurent opened the box and Damen saw the old seashell from their first trip. There were other things as well, things Damen had given him throughout their ten years together. There was a thick pile of papers wrapped together with a thread as well. Damen’s heart sped up a bit as he realized what they were.

“I’ve kept something of everything you’ve ever given me. I’ve also kept little tokens from days that meant a lot to me. This,” Laurent pulled out a pin from a chiton, “is from the first chiton I ever wore. For you. That night in Karthas meant everything to me, as did what we had on the road to Ios. I was able to fully acknowledge and accept my feelings for you and how much things had changed.” Laurent looked to Damen. “And I wore this for the rest of our trip, whenever I wore that chiton. I wore it at the Kingsmeet, at the trial, and after…when I stayed at your side and slept next to you. When I see this, I remember all of that, and how I felt at the end. I remember how terrified I was of losing you, and how deeply I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“Laurent.” Damen’s heart felt so full it hurt. Those memories were so far away, but still had so much impact on him. His own fear of losing Laurent, his own deep desire to have Laurent at his side for the rest of his days.

He reached for Laurent, wanting to share and act on how he was feeling, the need to be with him as desperate and intense as their first night together after Damen’s recovery. The box was set on the floor beside the bed as they lost themselves in each other with Damen babbling senselessly over what Laurent meant to him and how he made him feel as he showed him with his body.

After, they lay in bed together, ending their day as they had started it. Their love making didn’t end so much as transform into a different pleasure. Laurent was in his arms, their hands lazily roaming each other’s bodies as they went from slowly kissing on the mouth to the cheek, the jaw, neck, and then pausing to just lean into each other.

“You kept all my letters,” Damen said after awhile.

“You didn’t keep mine?”

“You know I did. They’re in my desk drawer. You’ve seen them.”

“But you thought I threw your letters away?”

“Or burned them,” Damen said jokingly. “No. I don’t know what you did with them.”

“Perhaps when we go home we can keep them together.”

“I’d like that.” Damen pressed a kiss to the top of his head. “I can’t even remember what I wrote you. It’s been so long.”

To his displeasure, Laurent moved away from him, bending over the side of the bed. Damen watched with lazy admiration, placing his hand on the small of Laurent’s back casually. The box had been left open on the floor, so when he came back up it was with a letter in hand.

“You were always late in meeting me here.”

Damen frowned. “I beat you one time.”

“One.”

Laurent handed him the letter for him to read. “This was the first one you sent me, when we first came here.”

Damen moved so he was sitting back against the headboard. Laurent sat quietly beside him.

_My Laurent,_

_I feel the absence of your presence more every day. It’s a constant ache that I carry with me. I find myself getting distracted often with thoughts of you, wondering if you feel the same, if you miss me too, and wondering if you’re doing alright in Arles. I wish I could be at your side to support you._

_I feel it most when I wake up, when I go to bed, and whenever I see or hear something I think you’d appreciate, or wouldn’t appreciate._

_I miss your wit. I miss hearing your thoughts on everything. I miss your warmth in my bed and beside me throughout the day._

_Our promised time at the Summer Palace can’t come fast enough. I think Nikandros is growing tired of my restlessness. He’s been asking for a vacation, but I told him I need to have mine first._

_Just a few weeks and I’ll have you in my arms again._

_Yours,  
Damen_

“Be honest, how happy were you to write _My_ Laurent?” Laurent asked with his cheek pressed against Damen’s shoulder, reading the letter with him.

Damen smiled a bit sheepishly. “I do remember feeling quite pleased. I’d wanted you for so long, and finally you were mine – _are_ mine. I was over the moon with how right it felt and how relieved I was, to know you were mine and no one else’s.”

Laurent was quiet for a moment, then, “That feeling…is very mutual.”

“I’m absolutely yours. I was yours from the first night we made love. I was just hoping you would have me.”

“And now I do.”

“Yes.” Damen smiled as he leaned his head against Laurent’s, the letter laying forgotten on his lap. “I kept thinking of ways to prove my worth to you. I thought, perhaps if I won the battle at Charcy for you, you would have me.”

“You had me. I just didn’t want to accept it.”

They had talked about this before. There wasn’t much they hadn’t talked about. Damen understood how Laurent felt at that time and what was going on in his head, because Laurent had told him. Still, it was nice to hear that Damen wasn’t alone in wanting and missing him. Being without Laurent was one the hardest things he had to do. The hopelessness of his feelings at the time burning a hole in his chest that he had to do his best to ignore.

“You know, I don’t think Nikandros ever got to take that vacation he asked for after I got back,” Damen said as he looked back down at the letter, moving to more pleasant thoughts.

Laurent laughed.

“He’ll be fine. He’s had a few since then.”

“It’s been awhile since we’ve seen him,” Damen noted.

“Perhaps our next trip should be to Ios. It’s been awhile. Do you miss it?”

“Sometimes. I like it in the center most now.”

“You can read your letters whenever you wish. I know you like to reminisce sometimes. I even have one where it starts off with you telling me you’re going to be a day late here. I was absolutely heartbroken.”

“I was only a day late.” Damen vaguely remembered. There had been some last minute issue that he had to address before leaving. He remembered being annoyed and short with people.

“It felt like a month then.”

“Back when it was still new.”

Laurent traced a pattern on his chest, so lightly it almost tickled.

“It still feels that way a lot. Even if I wake up next to you, if we spend the day apart…I miss you.”

“You make yourself miss me,” Damen said, remembering all the times Laurent insisted they spend the day apart.

“I like missing you. Rather, I like seeing you after a day of missing you. I like spending the day looking forward to going to bed with you, telling you about my day and listening to yours.”

Damen liked that too. They often ended their days with pillow talk. He loved talking to Laurent, loved to hear his thoughts and opinions and insights on everything. Laurent’s mind was as open to him as his heart, which Damen fully returned. There wasn’t a single part of him that wasn’t open to Laurent.

“These past ten years have been the best years of my life,” Laurent said. “Being with you has made me happier than I ever thought I could be.”

“You’re the best life partner I could have asked for, that I didn’t even know to ask for. There’s no one else I’d rather have at my side,” Damen said, his voice low and rough.

“I know. I feel the same.”

And then Laurent kissed him. Damen let him lead it, let himself be pushed on his back with Laurent putting himself sweetly over him and deepen the kiss as he liked. All these years and Laurent kissed him with just as much focus, passion, and seriousness, as if kissing Damen was the most important thing he’d ever do.

The letter fell softly to the floor.

 

 

 

 

Laurent lay awake that night, careful not to move too much so as not to wake Damen. Damen was a workaholic and often pushed aside sleep to deal with other matters. When they were away and enjoying the luxury of a vacation, he always slept and relaxed, and Laurent didn’t want to disturb that. He lay on his side next to him, facing Damen. They were close enough that he could feel his husband’s breath. Damen’s arm was loose over his waist, his hand dangling.

Damen had become so familiar to him over the years. He was so used to Damen being at his side, he could always feel the difference when he wasn’t, even when he was sleeping. If Damen got out of bed on nights he couldn’t sleep, Laurent always found himself waking up. He’d reach out to touch Damen and when he felt nothing, he’d lay awake until he came back to bed, or he’d get up and search for him, missing the warmth of his husband next to him, or the feel of the bed dipping beside him and those little shifts as Damen slept. When they slept apart due to having to leave for a period of time to attend something, Laurent always had trouble sleeping.

He had changed so much from when Laurent first met him. Ten years was a long time to know someone. Laurent took note of all of his changes. He was proud of Damen’s growth and loved him more fiercely with each passing day.

In the past five or so years, Damen didn’t shave his face as often as he used to. Laurent wanted to touch his cheek, knowing he’d feel his stubble on his hand. He liked it. Damen had always been attractive, and age wasn’t taking anything from that.

During their first trip at the summer palace, it had been about enjoying themselves and having fun together…but also to learn about each other as individuals and lovers. Some of Laurent’s favorite memories with Damen during that time were the nights they spent in bed, unable to sleep because of how much they just wanted to talk to each other and know everything there was to know about each other.

Laurent remembered how he had playfully thrown his legs over Damen’s as they shared fond memories and silly thoughts and things they had done. He remembered how Damen had stroked his thigh, not to lead to something more, but just a casual, intimate touch. Those innocent touches had become so common and familiar over the course of their week.

That week had meant the world to Laurent.

 _This_ week meant the world to him also.

Celebrating being with this man for ten years, for being happy and in control of his life, for having a lover who supported him and was there for him…it was well worth it. It was worth everything.

Carefully, Laurent shuffled closer until his head was under Damen’s chin. Damen’s hold on him temporarily tightened, instinctively and without waking, pulling him even closer so that Laurent was comfortably tucked against him.

Sleep came easily. A deep sleep that wouldn’t let go of him until morning, when he would wake up slowly and comfortably, safe in this cocoon as he had been for ten years.

As he would be for the rest of his years.    


End file.
